Features

Health Workers Warn Loosening Mask Advice in Hospitals Would Harm Patients and Providers

Draft CDC guidelines controversially conclude that N95 face masks are equivalent to looser surgical face masks in certain settings.

A New COVID Booster Is Here. Will Those at Greatest Risk Get It?

A boost in protection is needed to offset the persistent disparities in the toll of COVID between racial and ethnic groups.

Why the CDC Has Recommended New COVID Boosters for All

The vaccines tend to prevent infection for only a few months, but they offer longer protection against hospitalization and death.

The Shrinking Number of Primary Care Physicians Is Reaching a Tipping Point

Already, more than 100 million Americans don’t have regular access to primary care, a number that has nearly doubled since 2014.

Biden Administration Proposes New Standards to Boost Nursing Home Staffing

Proposal would require all facilities to increase staffing up to certain minimum levels, but it includes no money for new hires.

Pfizer and Moderna Are Pushing the New COVID Booster. Should You Get It? The CDC Is About to Decide.

People at lower risk may not need an updated booster, but without a CDC recommendation, insurance companies wouldn’t have to cover it.

Timing and Cost of New Vaccines Vary by Virus and Health Insurance Status

Who should get flu, COVID and RSV vaccines—and when?

Republican Debate Highlights Candidates’ Views on Abortion

The GOP candidates also sparred over COVID policies at their first debate.

5 Things to Know About the New Drug Pricing Negotiations

The Biden initiative marks a turning point in a long-fought battle to control ever-rising drug prices.

The Painful Pandemic Lessons Mandy Cohen Carries to the CDC

Cohen now faces challenges on a national scale as she’s charged with fixing the CDC after its pandemic missteps.

The CDC Works to Overhaul Lab Operations After Covid Test Flop

The CDC’s flawed diagnostic test stymied national efforts to contain COVID-19 as the disease spread.

Few Firm Beliefs and Low Trust: Americans Not Sure What’s True in Age of Health Misinformation

The confusion about what’s true—and who’s telling the truth—is of critical importance to public health.

Doctors Hesitate to Ask About Patients’ Immigration Status Despite New Florida Law

No other state has mandated that hospitals question patients about their citizenship.

A Peek at Big Pharma’s Playbook That Leaves Many Americans Unable to Afford Their Drugs

In the 1980s, AZT was labeled the most expensive drug in history at $8,000 annually. Now, scores of drugs cost more than $50,000 a year.

New Alzheimer’s Drug Raises Hopes — Along With Questions

Will Leqembi’s primary benefit—a slight slowing of decline in cognition and functioning—make a difference to patients and family members...

Promising Better, Cheaper Care, Kaiser Permanente’s National Expansion Faces Wide Skepticism

Regulators have expressed concern about consolidation of hospitals and physician groups into larger organizations that can drive up prices.